.#..#.##..                                          ##.##..#..
##.###.#..                                          .##.#.##..
.##..###.#                                          #.####.#.#
#.#.#..##.                                          ##...#####
#####.#.#.                                          .#..#.....
....######             ................             ##.##....#
...#.....#             THE ALVAR FIELDS             .##.#...##
..##....#.             §§§#@#@#@#@#@§§§             #.###..#.#
.#.#...##.                                          ##..#.####
####..#.#. FROM   NORTH   TO   SOUTH,  THIRTY   ODD .#.###...#
...#.##### KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ###..#..#.
..###....# THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO  STONE, ..#.##.##.
.#..#...#. A FOOT OR TWO. NO  ROOTS  CAN FESTER, NO .###.##.#.
##.##..##.             DUST CAN LINGER.             #..##.###.
.##.#.#.#.                                          #.#.##..##
#.#######. HERE IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW ####.#.#.#
##......## PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ...######.
.#.....#.# EARTH IS  BARE  IN PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS ..#.....##
##....####                YOU AND ME.               .##....#.#
.#...#....                                          #.#...###.
##..##.... CROSS  IT TO GET TO  THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ###..#..#.
.#.#.#....          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ..#.##.###
######...#                                          .###.##..#
.....#..##                                          #..##.#.#.
....##.#.#                                          #.#.#####.
...#.####.                                          ####....#.
..###...#.                                          ...#...##.
.#..#..###                                          ..##..#.#.